The thermal C2 -C6 (Schmittel)/ene cyclization of enyne-allenes - crossing the boundary between classical and nonstatistical kinetics

Hidden intermediate activation: a concept to elucidate the reaction mechanism of the Schmittel cyclization of enyne-allenes

The mechanistic paradigm in which the Schmittel cyclization transitions from one-step to stepwise has been investigated through the stabilization of a full hidden intermediate in the framework of the Diabatic Model of Intermediate Stabilization. Hidden intermediate activation was studied in silico employing quasi-classical trajectories and the Electron Localization Function. The stabilization of hidden intermediates achieved by substituting enyne-allenes with cyano and nitro groups generates the appearance of a partially hidden and an explicit intermediate, leading to one-step asynchronous biradical and stepwise biradical/zwitterionic mechanisms, respectively. The mechanistic feature associated with the activation level of the hidden intermediate arises from the Thornton effect and non-RRKM dynamics, where in the case of the CN-substituted system, despite having a single transition state, 54% of the effective trajectories remain in the intermediate zone after 540 fs, indicating that a mixture of mechanisms is observed.

In Situ Allene Formation via Alkyne Tautomerization to Promote [4 + 2]-Cycloadditions with a Pendant Alkyne or Nitrile

We have explored the net-[4 + 2]-cycloadditions of a variety of aryl (or alkenyl) alkynes. Tautomerization via base-catalyzed alkyne-to-allene isomerization produces a transient allene, which undergoes stepwise cyclization with not only a pendant alkyne but also a nitrile. The operative mechanisms for these reactions were studied by density functional theory and compared with the slower thermal cyclization of the precursor alkyne.

Mechanistic Information from Nonstationary Points

The thermal cyclization of enyne-carbodiimides substituted at both the alkyne and carbodiimide terminus showed two curved Hammett correlations (log k/k0 against σp) that were fully reproduced by DFT (density functional theory) computational results. The latter suggest a concerted mechanism, but the transition state (TS) analysis failed to reveal any mechanistic insight about the reason for a curved Hammett correlation. Instead a preTS inspection, i.e., examination of the electronic and steric details on route between reactant and TS, furnished a detailed picture of the mechanism.

The Missing C1-C5 Cycloaromatization Reaction: Triplet State Antiaromaticity Relief and Self-Terminating Photorelease of Formaldehyde for Synthesis of Fulvenes from Enynes

The last missing example of the four archetypical cycloaromatizations of enediynes and enynes was discovered by combining a twisted alkene excited state with a new self-terminating path for intramolecular conversion of diradicals into closed-shell products. Photoexcitation of aromatic enynes to a twisted alkene triplet state creates a unique stereoelectronic situation, which is facilitated by the relief of excited state antiaromaticity of the benzene ring. This enables the usually unfavorable 5-endo-trig cyclization and merges it with 5-exo-dig closure. The 1,4-diradical product of the C1-C5 cyclization undergoes internal H atom transfer that is coupled with the fragmentation of an exocyclic C-C bond. This sequence provides efficient access to benzofulvenes from enynes and expands the utility of self-terminating aromatizing enyne cascades to photochemical reactions. The key feature of this self-terminating reaction is that, despite the involvement of radical species in the key cyclization step, no external radical sources or quenchers are needed to provide the products. In these cascades, both radical centers are formed transiently and converted to the closed-shell products via intramolecular H-transfer and C-C bond fragmentation. Furthermore, incorporating C-C bond cleavage into the photochemical self-terminating cyclizations of enynes opens a new way for the use of alkenes as alkyne equivalents in organic synthesis.

Nonstatistical dynamics in the thermal C2-C6/diels-alder cyclization of enyne-allenes: effect of topology

The thermal C(2)-C(6) (Schmittel) cyclization of an enyne-allene with two aryl rings at the allene terminus experimentally leads to three formal Diels-Alder (DA) cycloaddition products, two of which (involving the dimethylamino phenyl unit) are shown to form in a nonstatistical process. DFT computations on the reaction paths reveal that the two aryl rings (Ph vs PhNMe2) do not interact in a dynamic manner as their minimum energy pathways (MEPs) are separated by a large barrier. The preferential formation of the more-hindered DA product 8 (ortho to the dimethylamino group) over the less-hindered product 9 (para to the dimethylamino group), despite the higher energy TS for 8, suggests the occurrence of nonstatistical dynamics in the cyclization onto the dimethylamino phenyl unit, though. Potential energy surface (PES) computations indicate that the large amount of nonstatistical dynamics (97%) arises from facile IRC dynamics (left picture) that is compared with the non-IRC dynamics of a related system (∼76%, right picture, J. Org. Chem. 2014, 79, 2368).

Nonstatistical dynamics in the thermal Garratt-Braverman/[1,5]-H shift of one ene-diallene: an experimental and computational study

A mechanistic study of the thermal Garratt-Braverman/[1,5]-H shift of ene-diallene 6 leading to alkenes (E)-8 and (Z)-8 is reported. The product ratio was found to be temperature-independent and does not agree with the computed energy barriers (i.e., TS2E(⧧) and TS2Z(⧧)). On the basis of experimental and DFT computational results, we propose a mechanism that is strongly controlled by nonstatistical dynamic effects.

Microwave-promoted synthesis of bicyclic azocine-β-lactams from bis(allenes)

A metal-free preparation of structurally novel bicyclic azocine-β-lactams has been developed. The first examples accounting for the preparation of eight-membered rings from bis(allenes) in the absence of metals have been achieved by the thermolysis of nonconjugated 2-azetidinone-tethered bis(allenes) on application of microwave irradiation. This selective carbocyclization reaction has been studied experimentally, and additionally, its mechanism has been investigated by a DFT study.

Gold-catalyzed cyclization of diynes: controlling the mode of 5-endo versus 6-endo cyclization--an experimental and theoretical study by utilizing diethynylthiophenes

Herein, a dual-gold catalyzed cyclization of 3,4-diethynylthiophenes generating pentaleno[c]thiophenes through gold-vinylidenes and C-H bond activation is disclosed. Various new heteroaromatic compounds--substrate classes unexplored to date--exhibiting three five-membered annulated ring systems could be synthesized in moderate to high yields. By comparison of the solid-state structures of the corresponding gold-acetylides, it could be demonstrated that the cyclization mode (5-endo versus 6-endo) is controlled by the electronic and not steric nature of the diyne backbone. Depending on different backbones, we calculated thermodynamic stabilities and full potential-energy surfaces giving insight into the crucial dual-activation cyclization step. In the case of the 3,4-thiophene backbone, in which the initial cyclization is rate and selectivity determining, two energetically distinct transition states could be localized explaining the observed 5-endo cyclization mode by classical transition-state theory. In the case of vinyl and 2,3-thiophene backbones, the theoretical analysis of the cyclization mode in the bifurcated cyclization area demonstrated that classical transition-state theory is no longer valid to explain the high experimentally observed selectivity. Herein, for the first time, the influence of the backbone and the aromatic stabilization effect of the 6-endo product in the crucial cyclization step could be visualized and quantified by calculating and comparing the full potential-energy surfaces.